Four games in Kansas City, where everything's up to date.
The Royals lost 106 games just last season, which was not an unusual thing for them. It was the seventh time they'd lost at least 100 games since the turn of the current century. Some context? Well, the Yankees have never lost 100 games - they were still the New York Highlanders back in 1912, the last time they were so wretched. The Dodgers and Cardinals? The last time for them was in 1908. The Angels have never lost 100 games. Kansas City has made it a habit.
But maybe not this time. The Royals are off to a nice 13-9 start, largely on the backs of the best run prevention in the major leagues - they've allowed just 70 runs in those first 22 games. It's obviously an enormous improvement, from 5.30 runs allowed to 3.18. The Royals thought they had found themselves a quality starter in Cole Ragans, who arrived last August when the Royals unloaded Aroldis Chapman on the Texas Rangers. The Rangers won a championship, and Chapman helped - but Ragans went 5-2, 2.64 in 12 starts for the Royals. Ragans has continued to pitch well this season, even if he's still looking for his first W and was badly abused by the Orioles in his last start. But the other four starters have been even better and how is even this happening? Brady Singer, 8-11, 5.02 a year ago? Alec Marsh was 3-9, 5.69 last season. Seth Lugo spent seven seasons working mostly middle relief for the Mets - the Padres turned him into a full time starter last season (8-7, 3.57). Michael Wacha was also in San Diego last season - the Royals are the sixth different team he's played for in the last six years. Well, Wacha's always been a quality pitcher when his arm was feeling up to the job, which it has these last couple of years.
The Royals are also scoring runs - 4.91 per game, fourth best in the AL, despite playing their home games in what has always been a home park that didn't help hitters a whole lot. It took 50 years before any Kansas City Royal managed to hit 40 HRs in a single season - that was Jorge Soler in 2019. M.J. Melendez made it to the majors as a catcher, but with a team that already had a franchise icon, Salvador Perez, behind the dish. Melendez started playing some outfield in 2022, and seems to have found a home in left field. Vinnie Pasquantino is a large LH first baseman, who's always been able to hit and always able to draw some walks. Melendez and Pasquantino are both hitting home runs in the early going. But they're just the supporting cast.
Matchups
Mon 22 April - Kikuchi (1-1, 2.08) vs Singer (2-0, 1.54)
Tue 23 April - Gausman (0-2, 8.16) vs Wacha (1-2, 3.75)
Wed 24 April - Rodriguez (0-0, 2.35) vs Marsh (3-0, 3.22)
Thu 25 April - Berrios (4-0, 0.85) vs Ragans (0-2, 4.32)
The Royals lost 106 games just last season, which was not an unusual thing for them. It was the seventh time they'd lost at least 100 games since the turn of the current century. Some context? Well, the Yankees have never lost 100 games - they were still the New York Highlanders back in 1912, the last time they were so wretched. The Dodgers and Cardinals? The last time for them was in 1908. The Angels have never lost 100 games. Kansas City has made it a habit.
But maybe not this time. The Royals are off to a nice 13-9 start, largely on the backs of the best run prevention in the major leagues - they've allowed just 70 runs in those first 22 games. It's obviously an enormous improvement, from 5.30 runs allowed to 3.18. The Royals thought they had found themselves a quality starter in Cole Ragans, who arrived last August when the Royals unloaded Aroldis Chapman on the Texas Rangers. The Rangers won a championship, and Chapman helped - but Ragans went 5-2, 2.64 in 12 starts for the Royals. Ragans has continued to pitch well this season, even if he's still looking for his first W and was badly abused by the Orioles in his last start. But the other four starters have been even better and how is even this happening? Brady Singer, 8-11, 5.02 a year ago? Alec Marsh was 3-9, 5.69 last season. Seth Lugo spent seven seasons working mostly middle relief for the Mets - the Padres turned him into a full time starter last season (8-7, 3.57). Michael Wacha was also in San Diego last season - the Royals are the sixth different team he's played for in the last six years. Well, Wacha's always been a quality pitcher when his arm was feeling up to the job, which it has these last couple of years.
The Royals are also scoring runs - 4.91 per game, fourth best in the AL, despite playing their home games in what has always been a home park that didn't help hitters a whole lot. It took 50 years before any Kansas City Royal managed to hit 40 HRs in a single season - that was Jorge Soler in 2019. M.J. Melendez made it to the majors as a catcher, but with a team that already had a franchise icon, Salvador Perez, behind the dish. Melendez started playing some outfield in 2022, and seems to have found a home in left field. Vinnie Pasquantino is a large LH first baseman, who's always been able to hit and always able to draw some walks. Melendez and Pasquantino are both hitting home runs in the early going. But they're just the supporting cast.
The Royals drafted Bobby Witt Jr out of high school with the second overall pick in 2019, thirty-five years after the Texas Rangers selected his father with the third overall pick back in 1985. And Junior may be about to Take Over. Hey, you've got a shortstop hitting a little like Ronald Acuna Jr. What's not to like? Fifty years ago, in the very early days of the franchise, the Royals had the great good fortune - because any time you land a no-doubt Hall of Famer, you've been a little lucky - to draft a young infielder named George Brett. Brett is by far the greatest Royal the world has ever seen. So far.
It's still early days, very early - Witt's father had a moment when he looked to be Bound For Glory as well - but you never know. The Royals may have hit that vein again.
Matchups
Mon 22 April - Kikuchi (1-1, 2.08) vs Singer (2-0, 1.54)
Tue 23 April - Gausman (0-2, 8.16) vs Wacha (1-2, 3.75)
Wed 24 April - Rodriguez (0-0, 2.35) vs Marsh (3-0, 3.22)
Thu 25 April - Berrios (4-0, 0.85) vs Ragans (0-2, 4.32)
